Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A silicon film is crystallized in a predetermined direction by selectively adding a metal element having a catalytic action for crystallizing an amorphous silicon and annealing. In manufacturing TFT using the crystallized silicon film, TFT provided such that the crystallization direction is roughly parallel to a current-flow between a source and a drain, and TFT provided such that the crystallization direction is roughly vertical to a current-flow between a source and a drain are manufactured. Therefore, TFT capable of conducting a high speed operation and TFT having a low leak current are formed on the same substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device using a thinfilm transistor (TFT) mounted on an insulating substrate such as a glassplate, and more particularly to a semiconductor device which can beutilized in an active matrix type liquid crystal displaying unit, or thesimilar matrix circuit.

2. Description of the Related Art

An active matrix type liquid crystal display unit using a TFT to drive apixel, an image sensor, a three dimensional integrated circuit, and thelike are known as a semiconductor device having a TFT on an insulatingsubstrate such as a grass plate.

A thin film silicon semiconductor is generally used as the TFT mountedon such a device. In particular, for a high speed operation it isstrongly required to establish a method for manufacturing a TFTcomprising a crystalline silicon semiconductor. A method of conductingcrystallization by forming an amorphous semiconductor film and applyinga heat energy thereto (heat annealing) is known as a method forobtaining such a crystalline thin film silicon semiconductor.

There are some problems in manufacturing a semiconductor circuit usingthe crystalline silicon film thus formed. For example, a circuit thatnot only a matrix circuit but also the peripheral circuit for drivingthe same are constituted of the TFT (monolithic type active matrixcircuit) is taken into account as an active matrix type circuit used ina liquid crystal display unit (i.e., a circuit that a controllingtransistor is arranged in each pixel).

In this complicated circuit, characteristics required in the TFT varydepending on the position of the circuit. For example, the TFT used forcontrolling the pixel of the active matrix circuit is required to havesufficiently small leak current in order to maintain an electric chargestored in a capacitor constituted of a pixel electrode and an oppositeelectrode. However, a current driving ability may not be so high.

On the other hand, a large current switching at a short time isnecessary in the TFT used in a driver circuit which supplies signals toa matrix circuit, and the TFT having a high current driving ability isrequired. However, a leak current may not be so low.

A TFT having a high current driving ability and a low leak current ismost desirable. However, the TFT presently manufactured is far from suchan ideal TFT, and if the current driving ability is high, the leakcurrent is also high, and if the leak current is low, the currentdriving ability is low.

Therefore, the monolithic type active matrix circuit constituted usingthe conventional TFT attempts to improve the current driving ability andreduce the leak current by changing a channel length or a channel widthof the TFT. However, if the circuit becomes finer, the change by a scaleas conventionally employed is limited.

For example, in order to obtain a high current driving ability it isnecessary to increase the channel width. The monolithic circuit uses theTFT having a channel width of 500 to 1,000 μm. However, if a highercurrent driving ability is required due to the increase in the number ofpixels and the degree of gradation, it is difficult to further expandthe channel width to 5 mm, 10 mm or the like from that the formationregion of the peripheral circuit is limited.

On the other hand, it is desirable for the TFT used to control the pixelto obtain a clear image quality by increasing a charge retentionability. However, considering that the pixel region has a size ofseveral hundreds μm square, it is impossible to increase the channellength to 50 μm, 100 μm or the like in order to decrease the leakcurrent. As s result, since a scale of a matrix, a pitch and the numberof pixels are largely limited in the conventional TFT monolithic typeactive matrix circuit, a displaying unit having a finer screen capableof obtaining a high quality image cannot be manufactured.

The above problems occur in not only the monolithic type active matrixcircuit but also in other semiconductor circuits.

SUMMARY OF THE TNVENRTTON

An object of the present invention is to overcome the problems andfurther improve the characteristics of a circuit as a whole.

The present inventor has confirmed that some metal elements areeffective to promote crystallization of an amorphous silicon film. Theelements which promote the crystallization are Group VIII elements suchas Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir and Pt, 3d elements such as Sc, Ti, V,Cr, Mn, Cu and Zn, noble metal such as Au and Ag, and the like. Amongthe above, Ni, Cu, Pd and Pt have a large crystallization promotingeffect. By adding those metal elements to the amorphous silicon film,the crystallization temperature can be lowered, whereby a time requiredfor the crystallization can be shortened.

A method for adding the metal elements includes a method for forming theabove-described metal element film or a thin film containing the metalelement in contact with the upper or lower side of the amorphous siliconfilm. Further, it is confirmed that if the metal element is introducedby an ion implantation, substantially same effect is obtained. Forexample, it is confirmed that it is possible to lower thecrystallization temperature in addition of nickel in an amount of 1×10¹⁵atoms/cm³ or more.

The amount of the metal element added varies depending on the type ofthe metal element. If nickel is used, it is desired that the amountthereof is in the concentration range of from 1×10¹⁷ to 1×10²⁰atoms/cm³. If the concentration of nickel is more than 5×10²⁰ atoms/cm³,nickel silicide is formed locally, resulting in deterioration ofcharacteristics as the semiconductor. Further, if the concentration ofnickel is less than 1×10¹⁷ atoms/cm³, the effect of nickel as a catalystis decreased. A reliability as the semiconductor becomes high as thenickel concentration decreases.

Thus, it becomes apparent that the crystallization can be promoted byadding specific metal elements to the silicon film. In addition, it isconfirmed that by selectively adding those metal elements to the siliconfilm, a crystal growth selectively generates from a region to which themetal element has been added, and the crystal growth region expands intoits periphery. Further, according to more detailed observations, needlecrystals are growing in the direction along the substrate surface not inthe direction in the thickness of the substrate, in the silicon film towhich those metal elements have been added.

A crystal grows in a needle form in the silicon film to which thosemetal elements have been added. The width (length) thereof is about 0.5to 3 times the thickness of the silicon film, and a growth in atransverse direction (a side direction of the crystal) is small. Forthis reason, a grain boundary is formed in parallel to the crystalgrowth direction. Where nickel is used as the metal element, the crystalgrows in the (111) direction. An example of this crystal growth is shownin FIGS. 1A to 1C.

FIG. 1A is a top view, showing a state that a crystal growth generatesfrom the region to which a metal element has selectively been added.Region 2 is a silicon film region to which the metal element has beenadded and the crystal growth expands from the region 2 to the periphery.Ellipse region 3 is region crystal-grown in a transverse direction.Arrows show the direction of the crystal growth. An outer region 1outside the region 2 is a region which is not crystallized.

FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of a part of the region 3, for example, asquare region 4. As is apparent from FIG. 1B, grain boundaries 6 and 7generate in parallel to the direction of crystal growth (B to C) in thesilicon film 5. Therefore, the grain boundary is less in a cross section(face BC) which is in parallel to the direction of the crystal growth,but many grain boundaries are observed in a cross section (face BRA)which is vertical to the direction of the crystal growth.

In a case wherein such a film is oxidized by a thermal oxidation method,the thermal oxidation which can be employed includes a method ofconducting a general thermal anneal in an oxidizing atmosphere(atmosphere of oxygen, ozone, nitrogen oxide, or the like), and a methodof treating the surface of the silicon film at high temperature for ashort period of time in an oxidizing atmosphere, as represented by arapid thermal anneal (RTA) method.

The thermal oxidization proceeds along the amorphous siliconcomponent-rich grain boundary. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1C, aninterface 9 between a silicon oxide layer 8 and the silicon film ismarkedly waved (uneven) in the face BA vertical to the direction of thecrystal growth. However, the interface 9 is very smooth in the face BCwhich is in parallel to the direction of the crystal growth.

The above difference greatly affects an electric current flown on thesurface of the silicon film. That is, a current flow is prevented by theunevenness of the interface 9 in the BA direction. On the other hand, acurrent flow is very smooth in the BC direction. For this reason,assuming that a direction to which a source/drain current flows in aninsulating gate type field effect transistor which controls a currentflowing a surface is the BA direction, the current flows as shown in aline 11 and the leak current is decreased by a substantial increase inthe channel length. On the other hand, assuming that the source/draincurrent flowing direction is the BC direction, since there is nosubstantial barrier (grain boundary or the like), the current flows asshown in a line 10 and a mobility of this transistor becomes large. Inparticular, in order to sufficiently reduce the leak current in the BAdirection as compared with the leak current in BC direction, it isdesirable that the thickness of the thermal oxide film is 50 Å or more.

In particular, where an amorphous component is present in a crystallinesilicon film, since the rate of oxidation is large in the amorphouscomponent, an oxide film formed in a portion that the amorphouscomponent is present (mainly, the vicinity of grain boundary) is thickerthan that in the other portion. Therefore, where the unevenness of thesilicon oxide film is considerably larger than the thickness of the gateinsulating film, typically where the unevenness is 10% or more thethickness of the gate insulating film, an anisotropy on easiness of thecurrent flow becomes remarkable.

By oxidizing the surface of the crystalline silicon film having theabove anisotropy, and appropriately controlling the direction of thesource/drain current of the silicon film, transistors having markedlydifferent characteristics can be formed on the same substrate, and canalso be formed adjacently. In actual transistors only the thermal oxidefilm is sometimes insufficient as the gate insulating film. In thiscase, an insulating film is further formed on the thermal oxide film byemploying the conventional physical vapor deposition method (PVD method)or chemical vapor deposition method (CVD method).

As described above, the present invention is characterized in that (1) ametal element which promotes crystal growth of an amorphous silicon isselectively added to an amorphous silicon film, (2) a crystal growthhaving a directionality is conducted, (3) the crystallized silicon filmis thermally oxidized, and (4) a TFT active layer is arranged such thatan angle formed between a source/drain current direction and acrystallization direction has a predetermined angle α. Furthermore, aplurality of TFTs each having different angle α are manufactured on thesame substrate. Typically, various circuits can be constituted by usingtwo kinds of TFT in the case of α=about 0 (the crystal growth directionapproximately coincides with the source/drain current direction (carriermoving direction) or the crystal growth direction is approximatelyparallel to the source/drain current direction) and in the case ofα=about 90° (the crystal growth direction is approximately vertical tothe source/drain current direction).

For example, in the active matrix type liquid crystal display, therequired characteristics differ between the TFT of the peripheralcircuit and the TFT of the pixel portion. That is, it is necessary inthe TFT which form a driver of the peripheral circuit to have a highmobility and flow a large on-current. On the other hand, in the TFTprovided on the pixel portion, the mobility may not be high in order toincrease a charge retentivity, but it is required that the leak current(off-current) is small.

The present invention uses a crystalline silicon film crystal-grown inthe direction parallel to the substrate. In the TFT used in theperipheral circuit, the source/drain region is constituted in thedirection parallel to the crystal growth direction. In the TFT used inthe pixel, the source/drain region is constituted in the directionvertical to the crystal growth direction. That is, the TFT used in theperipheral circuit is constituted so as not to be influenced to theutmost by the grain boundary and the unevenness in the siliconfilm/silicon oxide film interface when a carrier moves. Moreover, theTFT used in the pixel is constituted so as to transverse the grainboundary when the carrier moves. By this constitution, a resistancebetween the source and the drain is high, and as a result, the leakcurrent (off-current) is decreased.

Thermal oxidation is conducted to change the amorphous portion to asilicon oxide, the silicon oxide is etched with a buffer hydrofluoricacid and the like. This removes silicon oxide, thereby increasing adegree of the unevenness on the silicon surface. Subsequently, byfurther thermal oxidization, the unevenness in the silicon film/siliconoxide film interface can be further increased. Because an oxidationspeed of the amorphous silicon is about 2 to 3 times that of thecrystalline silicon, and the degree of the unevenness is furtherincreased. As a result, difference on easiness of a current flow isfurther increased by an angle to the crystal growth direction.

The present invention can obtain the TFT having necessarycharacteristics by utilizing that the carrier flows betweensource/drain, and by making the source/drain direction (direction ofline connecting the source and the drain) parallel or vertical to thecrystal growth direction. That is, a TFT having a high mobility or a TFThaving a small off-current is obtained by moving the carrier to thedirection parallel to the grain boundary of the crystals grown in aneedle form or a columnar form (direction parallel to the crystal growthdirection), or the direction vertical to the grain boundary of thecrystals grown in a needle form or a columnar form (direction verticalto the crystal growth direction).

Where the TFT is constituted using the crystalline silicon filmcrystal-grown in a direction parallel to the substrate surface, the TFTwhich has a high mobility and not so much influence of the grainboundary and the unevenness in the silicon film/silicon oxide filminterface can be obtained by forming the source/drain region along thecrystal growth direction. Further, the TFT which is affected by thegrain boundary and the unevenness in the silicon film/silicon oxide filminterface and therefore has a small off-current can be obtained byforming the source/drain region in the direction vertical to the crystalgrowth direction. The above TFT can be manufactured by optionallydetermining the direction of the carrier which moves between thesource/drain, relative to the crystal growth direction.

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment manufacturing two kinds of TFT on acrystalline silicon region 14. The region 14 is a part of the ellipsecrystalline silicon region 13 obtained by enlarging a rectangular region12 to the periphery thereof. The crystal growth direction is indicatedby an arrow 14 a. The TFTs formed on the region 14 are TFT1(source/drain regions 1 a and 1 c, and a channel formation region 1 b)in which the source/drain direction is vertical to the crystal growthdirection, and TFT2 (source/drain regions 2 a and 2 c, and a channelformation region 2 b) in which the source/drain direction is parallel tothe crystal growth direction. Typical characteristics of TFT1 and TFT2are shown in FIG. 3. The on-current or off-current of TFT1 is small ascompared with TFT2. For example, the off-current of TFT1 is typically0.5 to 2 orders smaller than TFT2. Further, the on-current and themobility of TFT2 is typically 10 to 30% large as compared with TFT1.

Therefore, if TFT1 is used in a pixel transistor of the monolithic typeactive matrix circuit and TFT2 is used in a driver transistor of theperipheral circuit, the characteristics of the active matrix circuit asa whole can further be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A to 1C are top views showing the state that the crystal growthselectively generates from the region to which a metal element has beenadded;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the embodiment of manufacturing two kinds ofTFTs on the crystalline silicon region;

FIG. 3 is a view showing typical characteristics of the TFTs shown inFIG. 2;

FIGS. 4A to 4F and FIGS. 5A to 5C are views showing the manufacturingsteps of a peripheral circuit having NTFT and PTFT which are constitutedin a complementary form, and a circuit having NTFT used in a pixeltransistor, according to the present invention;

FIGS. 6A to 6F are views showing other manufacturing steps according tothe present invention; and

FIGS. 7A to 7F are views showing further manufacturing steps accordingto the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1

The manufacturing steps of a peripheral circuit having NTFT and PTFTwhich are constituted in a complementary form, and a circuit having NTFTused in a pixel transistor, according to the present invention are shownin FIGS. 4A to 4F and FIGS. 5A to 5C.

A silicon oxide base film 102 having a thickness of 2,000 Å is formed ona substrate (Corning 7059) 101 by a sputtering method. The substrate 101is annealed at the temperature higher than its strain temperature beforeor after formation of the base film 102, and then gradually cooled downto the strain temperature at a rate of 0.1 to 1.0° C./min. As a result,contraction of the substrate becomes small in the subsequent stepsinvolving a temperature elevation (including an oxidation step byultraviolet ray irradiation and thermal annealing), thereby maskmatching easily. The substrate 101 is annealed at 620 to 660° C. for 1to 4 hours and then gradually cooled at a rate of 0.1 to 1.0° C./min,and preferably 0.1 to 0.3° C./min. When the temperature reaches 450 to590° C., the substrate 101 is taken out of a chamber.

An amorphous silicon film 103 having a thickness of 300 to 800 Å isformed by a plasma CVD method. Further, a nickel film 105 having athickness of 20 to 50 Å is formed by a sputtering method using a mask104 of silicon oxide having a thickness of 1,000 to 3,000 Å, forexample, 2,000 Å. The nickel film 105 may not be a continuous film.

Thereafter, a heat annealing is conducted in a nitrogen atmosphere at500 to 620° C., for example, at 550° C. for 8 hours, or at 600° C. for 4hours, to crystallize the silicon film 103. The crystal growth proceedsin the direction parallel to the substrate from the region at which thenickel film 105 is in contact with the silicon film 103, as the startingposition. In FIG. 4B, regions 106 and 107 each are a crystallizedregion, and regions 108 and 109 each are a non-crystallized region,i.e., a region of the amorphous silicon. FIG. 5A is a view showing theabove state seen from the upper side.

The silicon film 103 is subjected to patterning to form island-likeactive layer regions 110 (complementary type circuit region) and 111(pixel transistor region) as shown in FIG. 4C. In FIG. 5A, a rectangularregion positioned at the center of the ellipse is a region into whichnickel is directly introduced (added), and is a region in which nickelis present at high concentration. A high concentration nickel alsopresents at the tip (end) portion of the crystal growth of the regions106 and 107. Those regions have a nickel concentration about one orderhigher than that in the crystallized region.

Therefore, it is necessary that the active layer regions 110 and 111,particularly the channel forming region, are arranged in a region otherthan the region having a high nickel concentration. Etching of theactive layer region is conducted by a reactive ion etching (RIE) methodhaving an anisotropy in a vertical direction. The nickel concentrationin the active layer region is about 10¹⁷ to 10²⁰ atoms/cm³.

Oxidation of the active layer region is conducted by a rapid thermalannealing method. Specifically, an infrared light having a peak at 0.6to 4 μm, 0.8 to 1.4 μm in this embodiment, is irradiated in an oxidizingatmosphere for 30 to 180 seconds to form a thin silicon oxide film 112on the surface of the active layers 110 and 111. In addition, 0.1 to 10%of HCl may be added to the atmosphere.

A halogen lamp is used as a light source for an infrared light. Anintensity of the infrared light is adjusted such that a temperature of asingle crystal silicon wafer used as a monitor is 900 to 1,200° C.Specifically, a temperature of a thermocouple embedded in the siliconwafer is monitored and the monitored temperature is feeded back to aunit which controls the light source of the infrared ray. In thisembodiment, the temperature increase rate is 50 to 200° C./sec inconstant, and the temperature decrease rate is 20 to 100° C./sec innatural cooling. The infrared light irradiation may be conducted fromthe state that the substrate is maintained at the room temperature. Tofurther increase the effect, it is preferred to heat in advance thesubstrate to 200 to 450° C., for example, 400° C.

Since the silicon film is selectively heated by this infrared lightirradiation, the heating to the glass substrate can be minimized. It isalso very effective to decrease defects or dangling bond in the siliconfilm. The silicon oxide 112 formed by this infrared light irradiationhas a thickness of 50 to 150 Å.

The silicon oxide film 113 having a thickness of 1,000 Å is formed as agate insulating film by a sputtering method (FIG. 4D). Silicon oxide isused as a target in the sputtering. The substrate temperature at thesputtering is 200 to 400° C., for example, 350° C. The sputteringatmosphere contains oxygen and argon, and argon/oxygen=0 to 0.5, forexample, 0.1 or less.

The silicon film (containing 0.1 to 2% of phosphorus) having a thicknessof 3,000 to 8,000 Å, for example, 6,000 Å is formed by a low pressureCVD method. It is desirable that the formation step of the silicon oxidefilm 113 and the formation step of the silicon film are continuouslyconducted. Gate electrodes 114 to 116 are formed by patterning of thesilicon film (FIG. 4E). FIG. 5B is a top view showing the above state.An ellipses shown in broken lines correspond to the regions 106 and 107in FIG. 5A.

Impurities (phosphorus and boron) are doped (implanted) into the activelayer using the gate electrodes 114 to 116 as masks by an ion dopingmethod. Phosphine (PH₃) and diborane (B₂H₆) are used as a doping gas.Where phosphine is used, an accelerating voltage is 60 to 90 KV, forexample, 80 KV, and where diborane is used, the accelerating voltage is40 to 80 KV, for example, 65 KV. The dose is 1×10¹⁵ to 8×10¹⁵ cm⁻², andfor example, the dose is 2×10¹⁵ cm⁻² in the case of phosphorus, and thedose is 5×10¹⁵ cm⁻² in the case of boron. In doping, a dopingunnecessary region is covered with a photoresist, and the respectiveelements are selectively doped in the desired region. As a result, Ntype impurity regions 118 and 119, and P type impurity region areformed.

Annealing is conducted by a laser light irradiation, and the impuritiesare activated. KrF excimer laser (wavelength 248 nm, pulse width 20nsec) is used as the laser light, but other laser lights may be used.The irradiation conditions are such that an energy density is 200 to 400mJ/cm², for example, 250 mJ/cm², and a shot number per portion is 2 to10 shots, for example, 2 shots. It is advantageous to heat the substrateat about 200 to 450° C. at the laser light irradiation. In the laserannealing step, since nickel is dispersed in the previously crystallizedregion, recrystallization easily proceeds by the laser lightirradiation. Therefore, the impurity region 117 in which the impurityfor providing a P conductive type is doped, and the impurity regions 118and 119 in which the impurity for providing an N conductive type isdoped, are easily activated.

As shown in FIG. 4F, a silicon oxide film 120 having a thickness of6,000 Å is formed as an interlayer insulating material by a plasma CVDmethod. Further, ITO (indium tin oxide) film having a thickness of 500 Åis formed by a sputtering method, and a pixel electrode 121 is formed bypatterning the ITO film. Contact holes (the opening position is shown inFIG. 5C) are formed in the interlayer insulating material 120, andwiring/electrodes 122 to 126 of TFTs are formed by a metallic material,such as a multilayer film of titanium nitride and aluminum. Finally,annealing is conducted at 350° C. for 30 minutes in a hydrogenatmosphere of 1 atm, whereby a TFT circuit is completed.

As is apparent from FIG. 5B, the source/drain direction in the activelayer 110 is parallel to the crystallization direction, and thesource/drain direction in the active layer 111 are vertical to thecrystallization direction. As a result, the TFT formed in the activelayer 110 has a large on-current. On the other hand, the TFT formed inthe active layer 111 has a small off-current. In this embodiment,although two types of TET having different characteristics are formed onthe relatively adjacent position, it is possible to form such TFTs onthe places very far from each other as in the active matrix circuit.

Embodiment 2

FIGS. 6A to 6F are views showing the other manufacturing steps(sectional views) according to the present invention. A base film 202 ofsilicon oxide having a thickness of 2,000 Å is formed on a substrate(Corning 7059) 201 by a plasma CVD method using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)and oxygen as raw materials. After formation of the base film 202,annealing is conducted at 620 to 660° C. for 1 to 4 hours. Thereafter,the substrate is gradually cooled at 0.1 to 1.0° C./min, preferably 0.1to 0.3° C./min, and when the temperature reaches 450 to 590° C., thesubstrate is taken out of a chamber.

An amorphous silicon film 203 having a thickness of 300 to 800 Å isformed by a plasma CVD method. A nickel film 205 having a thickness of20 to 50 Å is formed using a mask of silicon oxide having a thickness of1,000 to 3,000 Å, for example, 2,000 Å by a sputtering method. Thenickel film may not be a continuous film (FIG. 6A).

Thereafter, thermal annealing is conducted at 500 to 620° C., forexample, 600° C., for 4 hours in a nitrogen atmosphere to crystallizethe silicon film 203. The crystal growth proceeds in the directionparallel to the substrate from a region that the nickel film and thesilicon film are contacted, as the starting position. In FIG. 6B,regions 206 and 207 are a region crystallized by this step, and regions208 and 209 are an amorphous silicon region.

Next, the silicon film 203 is subjected to patterning to formisland-like active layer regions 210 (complementary type circuit region)and 211 (pixel transistor region). Etching of the active layer regionsis conducted by the RIE method having an anisotropy to a verticaldirection.

Then a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatment is conducted to furtherincrease a crystallinity of the active layer. Specifically, an infraredlight having a peak at 0.6 to 4.0 μm, 0.8 to 1.4 μm in this embodiment,is irradiated for 30 to 180 seconds. 0.1 to 10% of HCl may be added tothe atmosphere.

A halogen lamp is used as a light source for infrared light. Anintensity of the infrared light is adjusted such that the temperature ofa single crystal silicon wafer used as a monitor becomes 900 to 1,200°C. Specifically, the temperature of a thermocouple embedded in thesilicon wafer is monitored, and the monitored temperature is feeded backto a unit which controls the light source of the infrared light. In thisembodiment, the temperature increase rate is 50 to 200° C./sec inconstant, the temperature decrease rate is 20 to 100° C./sec in naturalcooling. The infrared light irradiation may be conducted from the statethat the substrate is maintained in the room temperature. To furtherincrease the effect, it is advantageous to previously heat the substrateto 200 to 450° C., for example, 400° C.

Since the silicon film is selectively heated by this infrared lightirradiation, heating to the glass plate can be minimized. Further, it iseffective to decrease defects and dangling bond of the non-crystallizedregion in the silicon film.

The substrate is annealed at 550 to 650° C., typically 600° C., for 1hour in a dry oxygen atmosphere. It is necessary to select the annealingtemperature not to affect the substrate. As a result, a thermal oxidefilm 212 having a thickness of 20 to 200 Å, typically 40 to 100 Å, isformed on the surface of the active layer. If oxidation is conducted inthis step at 550 to 650° C. in a state that water is contained in theoxygen atmosphere by a pyrogenic oxidization method or the like, thesilicon oxide film having a thickness of 500 to 800 Å is obtained (FIG.6C).

A silicon oxide film 213 having a thickness of 1,000 Å is formed as agate insulating film by a plasma CVD method using TEOS and oxygen. Thesubstrate temperature at the film formation is 200 to 400° C., forexample, 350° C. Trichloroethylene (TCE) is added in an amount of 1 to50%, typically 20% per TEOS. Chlorine is introduced into the gateinsulating film by TCE, and a mobile ion (such as sodium) contained inthe active layer is removed, whereby characteristics are furtherincreased. After this step, thermal annealing may be conducted at 550 to650° C. in nitrogen or dinitrogen oxide (FIG. 6D).

An aluminum film (containing 0.1 to 2% of scandium) having a thicknessof 3,000 to 8,000 Å, for example, 6,000 Å, is formed by a sputteringmethod. This aluminum film is subjected to patterning to form gateelectrodes 214 to 216. Anodization is conducted by passing currentthrough the gate electrode in an electrolyte, and an aluminum oxide filmhaving a thickness of 1,000 to 3,000 Å, 2,000 Å in this embodiment, isformed on the upper and side surface of the gate electrode. Thisanodization is conducted in an ethylene glycol solution containing 1 to5% of tartaric acid. Since this aluminum oxide film is used as anoff-set gate region in the subsequent ion doping step, a length of theoff-set region can be determined by the anodization step.

Impurities for providing P or N conductive type in self-alignment areadded to the active layer region (source/drain, channel region) by anion doping method (plasma doping method) using a gate electrode portion(i.e., the gate electrode and the peripheral oxide layer) as a mask.Phosphine (PH₃) and diborane (B₂H₆) are used as a doping gas. Theaccelerating voltage is 60 to 90 KV, for example, 80 KV, where phosphineis used, and 40 to 80 kV, for example, 65 kV, where diborane is used.The dose is 1×10¹⁵ to 8×10¹⁵ cm⁻², and for example, phosphorus is 5×10¹⁵cm⁻² and boron is 2×10¹⁵ cm⁻². In doping, by covering one region by aphotoresist, the respective element are selectively doped in the otherregions. As a result, N type impurity regions 218 and 219, and P typeimpurity region 217 are formed, and a region of a P channel typeTFT(PTFT) and a region of an N channel type TFT(NTFT) can be formed.

Annealing is conducted by a laser light irradiation to activate theimpurities ion implanted. KrF excimer laser (wavelength 248 nm, pulsewidth 20 nsec) is used as a laser light, but other laser may be used.Irradiation conditions of the laser light are such that an energydensity is 200 to 400 mJ/cm², for example, 250 mJ/cm², and a number ofshots per one portion is 2 to 10 shots, for example, 2 shots. It isadvantageous at the laser light irradiation to heat the substrate to atemperature of about 200 to 450° C. In this laser annealing step, sincenickel is dispersed in the previously crystallized region,recrystallization easily proceeds by the laser light irradiation.Therefore, impurity regions 217 to 219 are easily activated. Activationof the impurities may be conducted by the RTA method is place of thelaser annealing steps (FIG. 6E).

A silicon oxide film 220 having a thickness of 6,000 Å is formed as aninterlayer insulating material by a plasma CVD method. Further, an ITOfilm having a thickness of 500 Å is formed by a sputtering method, andpatterning is performed to form a pixel electrode 226. Furthermore,contact holes are formed in the interlayer insulating material 220, andwiring/electrodes 221 to 225 of TFT are formed by a metallic materialsuch as a multilayer film of titanium nitride and aluminum. Finally,annealing is conducted at 350° C. for 30 minutes in a hydrogenatmosphere of 1 atm to complete a TFT circuit (FIG. 6F).

Embodiment 3

FIGS. 7A to 7F are views showing the other manufacturing steps(sectional views) according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7A, abase film 302 of silicon oxide having a thickness of 2,000 Å is formedon a substrate (Corning 7059) 301 by a plasma CVD method usingtetraothorysilane (TEOS) and oxygen as raw materials. After formation ofthe base film 302, the substrate 301 is annealed at 620 to 660° C. for 1to 4 hours. The substrate is gradually cooled at a rate of 0.1 to 1.0°C./min, preferably 0.1 to 0.3° C./min, and when the temperature reaches450 to 590° C. the substrate is taken out of a chamber.

An amorphous silicon film 303 having a thickness of 300 to 1,200 Å, forexample, 1,000 Å, is formed by a plasma CVD method. A nickel film 305having a thickness of 20 to 50 Å is formed by a sputtering method usinga mask 304 of silicon oxide having a thickness of 1,000 to 3,000 Å, forexample, 2,000 Å. The nickel film may not be a continuous film.

Thermal annealing is conducted at 500 to 620° C., for example, 600° C.for 4 hours in a nitrogen atmosphere to crystallize the silicon film303. The crystal growth proceeds in the direction parallel to thesubstrate from the region at which nickel and the silicon film arecontacted, as the starting position. In FIG. 7B, regions 306 and 307 areregions crystallized by this step, and regions 308 and 309 are amorphoussilicon regions.

The silicon film 303 is subjected to patterning to form island-likeactive layer regions 310 (complementary type circuit region) and 311(pixel transistor region) (FIG. 7C). Etching of the active layers isconducted by an RIE method having an anisotropy in the verticaldirection.

The substrate is placed in an oxygen atmosphere containing 10% of steamat 550 to 650° C., typically 600° C. for 3 to 5 hours under 1 atm,whereby the surface of the active layer is oxidized at a thickness of200 to 800 Å, typically 500 Å, thereby forming silicon oxide layers 312and 313. A pyrogenic oxidation method (hydrogen:oxygen=1.8 to 1.0:1 involume ratio) is effective for the formation of this silicon oxidelayer. The formed silicon oxide layers 312 and 313 have a thickness of400 to 1,600 Å, 1,000 Å in this embodiment. After formation of thesilicon oxide layer, annealing is conducted at 600° C. for 1 hour in adinitrogen oxide atmosphere of 1 atm thereby removing hydrogen in thesilicon oxide layer.

An aluminum film (containing 0.1 to 2% of scandium) having a thicknessof 3.000 to 8,000 Å, for example, 6,000 Å, is formed by a sputteringmethod. The aluminum film is subjected to patterning to form gateelectrodes 314 to 316 (FIG. 7D). Further, anodization is conducted bypassing a current through the gate electrodes in an electrolyte in thesame manner as in Embodiment 2 to form an aluminum oxide film having athickness of 1,000 to 3,000 Å, 2,000 Å in this embodiment, on the upperand side surface of the gate electrodes.

Impurities for providing P or N conductive type in self-alignment areadded to the active layer region (source/drain, channel region) by anion doping method (plasma doping method) using a gate electrode portion(the gate electrode and its peripheral oxide layer) as a mask. Phosphine(PH₃) and diborane (B₂H₆) are used as a doping gas. An acceleratingvoltage is 60 to 90 kV, for example, 80 kV where phosphine is used, andis 40 to 80 kV, for example, 65 kV, where diborane is used. The dose is1×10¹⁵ to 8×10¹⁵ cm⁻², and for example, phosphorus is 5×10¹⁵ cm⁻² andboron is 2×10¹⁵ cm⁻². In doping, by covering one region with aphotoresist, the respective elements can selectively be doped in theother regions. As a result, N type impurity regions 318 and 319, and Ptype impurity region 317 are formed, whereby a region of a P channeltype TFT(PTFT) and an N channel type TFT(NTFT) can be formed.

Annealing is conducted by a laser light irradiation to activate theimpurities ion implanted. KrF excimer laser (wavelength: 248 nm, pulseduration: 20 nsec) is used, but the other lasers may be used.Irradiation conditions of the laser light are that an energy density is200 to 400 mJ/cm², for example, 250 ml/cm², and the number of shots perportion is 2 to 10 shots, for example, 2 shots. It is advantageous atthe irradiation of this laser light to heat the substrate to atemperature of about 200 to 450° C. In this laser annealing step, sincenickel is diffused in the previously crystallized region,recrystallization easily proceeds by this laser light irradiation.Therefore, the impurity regions 317 to 319 are crystallized easily.

A silicon oxide coating film 320 is formed by a plasma CVD method. It isimport for the film 320 to have an excellent covering property to theside surface of the gate electrode. The film 320 has a thickness of 0.5to 1 μm, for example, 0.7 μm.

This insulating coating film 320 is subjected to anisotropic etching(selective etching to only a vertical direction) by a means such as adry etching. As a result, a surface of the source/drain region isexposed, and nearly triangular insulating materials 321, 322 and 323remain on the side surface of the respective gate electrodes (containingthe peripheral anodized layer) (FIG. 7E).

Sizes of the insulating materials 321 to 323, particularly the width,are determined by the thickness of the silicon oxide coating film 320previously formed, the etching conditions and the height of the gateelectrode (containing the peripheral anodized layer). The shape of theinsulating material obtained is not limited to a triangular shape, andvaries depending on a step coverage or a thickness of the silicon oxidefilm 320. Where the film 320 has a small thickness, the insulatingmaterial has a square shape.

A titanium film 324 having a thickness of 5 to 50 nm is formed by asputtering method. Molybdenum, tungsten, platinum, palladium or the likemay also be used.

After formation of the titanium film 324, annealing is conducted at 200to 650° C., preferably at 400 to 500° C., to react the titanium film andsilicon in the source/drain region, whereby silicide layers 325, 326 and327 are formed in the source/drain region.

Unreacted titanium film (mainly silicon oxide, or film deposited on theanodized layer) is etched. Further, a silicon oxide layer having athickness of 6,000 Å is formed as an interlayer insulating material 328by CVD method. Furthermore, a ITO film having a thickness of 500 to1,000 Å is deposited by a sputtering method, and subjected to patterningto form a pixel electrode 329. As shown in FIG. 7F, contact holes areformed in the source/drain region of TFT, and a multilayer film oftitanium nitride and aluminum are deposited. Patterning is conducted toform wiring/electrodes 330 to 334. Titanium nitride and aluminum have athickness of 800 Å and 5,000 Å, respectively. Finally, annealing isconducted at 350° C. for 30 minutes in a hydrogen atmosphere of 1 atm tocomplete a TFT circuit.

If the methods shown in the above embodiments are used in, for example,manufacturing of an active matrix type liquid crystal display, TFT ofthe peripheral circuit portion is constituted of a crystalline siliconfilm in which crystals are grown in a direction parallel to thecarrier-flow (carrier moving direction), and TFT of the pixel portion isconstituted by a crystalline silicon film constituted in a directionvertical to the carrier-flow (carrier moving direction). As a result,TFT which conducts a high speed operation is obtained in the peripheralcircuit portion, and TFT which has a small off-current value requiredfor a change retention is obtained in the pixel portion. Thus, in asemiconductor circuit which is required to form TFT having differentcharacteristics on the same substrate, TFT having characteristics whichmeet the respective requirements are simultaneously formed by merelychanging the arrangement direction or the like of TFT. Thus it ispossible to improve the characteristics of a circuit as a whole.

1. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: forminga semiconductor film on an insulating surface; crystallizing thesemiconductor film, wherein crystals of the semiconductor film extend ina direction in parallel with the insulating surface, and wherein a widthof the crystals is 0.5 or more times the thickness of the semiconductorfilm; patterning the crystallized semiconductor film to form asemiconductor island having a source region, a drain region and achannel region; forming a first insulating film covering thesemiconductor island; forming a gate electrode over a portion of thesemiconductor island with the first insulating film interposedtherebetween.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein thesemiconductor film contains a metal element selected from the groupconsisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Ru Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu,Zn, Au, and Ag.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gateelectrode is located over the channel region.
 4. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the semiconductor film has a thickness of 300 to 800 Å.5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the width of the crystals is0.5 to 3 times the thickness of the semiconductor film.
 6. A method formanufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: forming a semiconductorfilm on an insulating surface; crystallizing the semiconductor film,wherein crystals of the semiconductor film extend in a direction inparallel with the insulating surface, and wherein a width of thecrystals is 0.5 or more times the thickness of the semiconductor film;patterning the crystallized semiconductor film to form a semiconductorisland having a source region, a drain region and a channel region;forming a first insulating film covering the semiconductor island;forming a gate electrode over a portion of the semiconductor island withthe first insulating film interposed therebetween. wherein thesemiconductor island has no grain boundaries against carriers flowingbetween the source region and the drain region.
 7. The method accordingto claim 6, wherein the semiconductor film contains a metal elementselected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Ru Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt,Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Au, and Ag.
 8. The method according to claim6, wherein the gate electrode is located over the channel region.
 9. Themethod according to claim 6, wherein the semiconductor film has athickness of 300 to 800 Å.
 10. The method according to claim 6, whereinthe width of the crystals is 0.5 to 3 times the thickness of thesemiconductor film.
 11. A method for manufacturing a semiconductordevice comprising: forming a semiconductor film on an insulatingsurface; crystallizing the semiconductor film, wherein crystals of thesemiconductor film extend in a direction in parallel with the insulatingsurface, and wherein a width of the crystals is 0.5 or more times thethickness of the semiconductor film; patterning the crystallizedsemiconductor film to form at least a first semiconductor island and asecond semiconductor island; forming a first insulating film coveringthe first semiconductor island and the second semiconductor island;forming a first gate electrode over a portion of the first semiconductorisland with the first insulating film interposed therebetween, and asecond gate electrode over a portion of the second semiconductor islandwith the first insulating film interposed therebetween; adding a firstimpurity element into the first semiconductor island by using the firstgate electrode as a mask in order to form a N-channel type thin filmtransistor; adding a second impurity element into the secondsemiconductor island by using the second gate electrode as a mask inorder to form a P-channel type thin film transistor.
 12. The methodaccording to claim 11, wherein the semiconductor film contains a metalelement selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Ru Rh, Pd, Os,Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Au, and Ag.
 13. The method accordingto claim 11, wherein the first gate electrode is located over a channelregion of the N-channel type thin film transistor and the second gateelectrode is located over a channel region of the P-channel type thinfilm transistor.
 14. The method according to claim 11, wherein thesemiconductor film has a thickness of 300 to 800 Å.
 15. The methodaccording to claim 11, wherein the width of the crystals is 0.5 to 3times the thickness of the semiconductor film.
 16. The method accordingto claim 11, wherein the first semiconductor island has no grainboundaries against carriers flowing between the source region and thedrain region.
 17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the secondsemiconductor island has no grain boundaries against carriers flowingbetween the source region and the drain region.